July and August updates!

The dog days of summer are here-- be sure to beat the heat with the Knit*Lit book club choices!

Saturday, July 11 is going to be our discussion on Gil McNeil's charming "Brit Knit" book, The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club. It's getting rave reviews from the speedy readers in the club, so we're going to look forward to your opinion on it this Saturday!

August 8th we'll get to gether to discuss The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary & Sewing Circle by Lois Battle. (Available in both regular and large print) This story begins with the closing of the Cherished Lady, a lingerie factory where most of the characters work as seamstresses.

Review from the Penguin Reading Guide:

Lois Battle's newest novel is about women whose lives change in an instant. For Bonnie Cullman, the change comes when her husband reveals that he has squandered hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that he is leaving her without a dime. For Ruth and Hilly and the rest of their coworkers, the change comes when they learn that Cherished Lady, the company they work for, is moving to Mexico and leaving them without a paycheck. In terms of circumstances, living style, and expectations, you couldn't find a bigger difference between Bonnie and the workers laid off from Cherished Lady. But they have more in common than it appears. They have resilience, strength, and principles. They have the ability to see beyond the limitations of their present lives. And they have the power to help themselves and each other.

Next up: How to Make an American Quilt on June 13!

We had a great discussion this month (and some tasty cookies and teas) Many thanks to all who came and made it so fun!

June's selection is How to Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto. There are LOTS of copies, regular & large print, in the library system, so no problems getting one in time! If you have a VCR knocking around, the movie version is also available through the library on VHS.

Interested in a book discussion guide? Here's one from Reader's Circle.

You might enjoy this interview with author Whitney Otto. Find out what inspired her to write this novel and much more!

If the book or movie inspires you, track down Pieces of an American Quilt by Patty McCormick. (There is 1 copy in the library system.) It's the story of the "stunt" quilters who were involved of the making of the film version. It has quilt patterns and much more. Planet Patchwork has a nice review here.

Happy reading until we meet again at 2 pm on Saturday, June 13 for another fun Knit*Lit discussion!

Death by Cashmere-- what a way to go! :) May 2

We had a great discussion this month about Casting Spells. Thanks again to N.K. for providing the delicious maple cookies and tollhouse bars! What a treat!


We hope you'll join us next month for a murderous yarn (ha ha!) Death by Cashmere, written by Sally Goldenbaum. Our discussion will be Saturday, May 2, at 2 pm. It's the first in the Seaside Knitters Mystery series.

Here's the review from Publishers Weekly:

Izzy Chambers gives up her life as a lawyer in Boston in order to open the Seaside Knitting Studio in Sea Harbor, Mass., where she spent her childhood, in Goldenbaum's charming debut. An informal knitting group of eccentric characters forms around the shop, including Birdie Favazza, the oldest member at nearly 80, and Cass Halloran, the owner of 200 lobster traps who's devastated by a midnight theft. Cass's younger brother, Pete, pines for the gorgeous Angelina Archer, who's recently come to the Cape to research a local history project and rents the apartment above Izzy's store. When Angelina's body washes up in the cove, Izzy and her knitting group vow to discover who hated Angelina enough to want the woman dead. A knitting pattern for a scarf rounds out a cozy many will find an ideal beach read.

You will want to be "Casting Spells" with the KnitLit Book Club on April 4!

In April we will be reading Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton. The author's blog is here, and you can also follow her on Twitter!

Here's a review from Publisher's Weekly:

Tongue-in-cheek humor lifts this weird but fun hybrid, part knitting cozy, part paranormal romance, from romance veteran Bretton (Just Desserts). After a classy female tourist drowns mysteriously in an icy lake in remote Sugar Maple, Vt., the Montpelier authorities ask Boston homicide cop Luke MacKenzie to investigate. As Sugar Maple's temporary police chief, Luke soon notices the village's odd ambience. Originally a haven for witches who fled the Salem witchcraft trials three centuries earlier, Sugar Maple is now home to witches, vampires, fairies and trolls. Luke is also attracted to Chloe Hobbs, the half-human owner of the knitting shop Sticks & Strings, who must find Mr. Right if she's to preserve the spell that sustains the town's unusual residents. As sparks literally fly between the two, Chloe's "magickal" side stirs into life. Bretton charmingly depicts how love empowers Chloe and awakens Luke to some major surprises. (Nov.)

We hope to see you on Saturday, April 4, at 2pm to discuss this fun read!

March 7: Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

In March we will be reading the follow up novel to the Friday Night Knitting Club. You can read a brief excerpt of Knit Two here, along with a reader's guide and a bonus free knitting pattern. Yay for free patterns!

There's quite a few copies of the book at the library, but it is still popular, so reserve one today!

Join the Persian Pickle Club discussion on Feb 7!

The Denver Post called this "A book about how times can never be so hard that they can't be eased when people come together."

In the 1930's, hard times have fallen on Harveyville, Kansas. There are no jobs, and no rain. Queenie Bean's highlight of her week is her weekly quilting gathering, the Persian Pickle Club. But when a new member unearths a dark secret, the women must unite to support and protect each other. You won't want to miss this story that explores the true meaning of friendship!

If you are interested in the reading guide for this book, click here.

Learn more about author Sandra Dallas here.

This site from the University of Kansas has amazing photos of the Dust Bowl.

Join us for a Safe Return on January 10th!

On Saturday, January 10th (2pm), we will be discussing the novel Safe Return by Catherine Dexter. The story, based on historical events, takes place in 1824 on the tiny island of Gotland off the coast of Sweden.

Booklist review calls it "a spare drama of people waiting for a ship to come home. The story is told with simple beauty in the voice of 11-year-old orphan Ursula. Her beloved aunt is one of the women who sailed to Stockholm to sell the island's sweaters, which were knitted by everyone--men, women, and children--from the wool of the local sheep. There are storms at sea, and the ship is late returning. An outsider on the island, Ursula has never been able to learn to knit, but while she scans the horizon and hears the wind, she gets out her knotted mess of wool and painstakingly teaches herself to knit those rows in a pattern of waves. The knitting metaphor is rooted in a very real craft of needles, stitches, and yarn. As the days and weeks pass, readers will feel the dark dread of Ursula's waiting and her effort to knit a pattern and make a miracle."

Check out the official tourist website for Gotland for a quick overview of the history and culture of this interesting island.

Read this blogger's experiences in a Gotland knitting symposium here.

Knitting and wool crafts are still popular in Gotland. Beautiful photos here.